Archaeoastronomy is the “science of stars and stones”. It is an interdisciplinary science in between architecture, archaeology, and astronomy. It studies the relationships between the ancient monuments and the sky, in order to gain a better understanding of the ideas of the architects of the past and of their religious and symbolic world. The course provides the first complete, easy introduction to this fascinating discipline.
During the course, many spectacular ancient sites of archaeology – such as Stonehenge in England, Giza and Karnak in Egypt, Chichen Itzá in the Yucatan, Macchu Picchu in Peru and the Pantheon in Rome – will be visited and the fascinating events occurring there in special days of the year (such as solstices, equinoxes, or the day of the foundation of Rome) will be shown and explained. The course also provides the necessary background on Astronomy with the naked eye and a general introduction to the role of Astronomy in religion and in the management of power among ancient cultures.

100 % online

100 % online

Beginnen Sie sofort und lernen Sie in Ihrem eigenen Tempo.

Flexible Fristen

Flexible Fristen

Setzen Sie Fristen gemäß Ihrem Zeitplan zurück.

Stufe „Anfänger“

Stufe „Anfänger“

Abzuschließende Stunden

Ca. 8 Stunden zum Abschließen

Empfohlen: 2-3 hours/week...

Verfügbare Sprachen

Englisch

Untertitel: Englisch, Spanisch

100 % online

100 % online

Beginnen Sie sofort und lernen Sie in Ihrem eigenen Tempo.

Flexible Fristen

Flexible Fristen

Setzen Sie Fristen gemäß Ihrem Zeitplan zurück.

Stufe „Anfänger“

Stufe „Anfänger“

Abzuschließende Stunden

Ca. 8 Stunden zum Abschließen

Empfohlen: 2-3 hours/week...

Verfügbare Sprachen

Englisch

Untertitel: Englisch, Spanisch

Lehrplan - Was Sie in diesem Kurs lernen werden

Woche

1

Abzuschließende Stunden

1 Stunde zum Abschließen

Week 1

In this week we shall learn the basic tools which are needed for studying Archaeoastronomy. Essentially, this means learning Astronomy with the naked eye, since the ancients did not have telescopes, and becoming acquainted with a simple instrument - the magnetic compass - and amazing softwares: virtual globes and digital planetariums....

Week 2

The core of the course: understanding how astronomy, religion, and the management of power were connected in ancient cultures, and the way in which these connections are reflected in architecture and landscape since the Neolithic. At the end of the week we shall thus visit the places where Archaeoastronomy was born: Stonehenge and Newgrange....

Week 3

An archaeoastronomical tour in a wonderful land: Egypt of the Pharaohs. We shall visit Khufu's (Cheops) Great Pyramid and assist to the spectacular hierophany which occurs every year at Giza at the summer solstice. Then, we shall move to the huge temple of Karnak at the winter solstice, to finally encounter the "heretic" king Akhenaten and the astronomy-related project of his new capital....

Week 4

An introduction to pre-Columbian Archaeoastronomy, with key topics such as the Maya Calendar, the role of astronomy in Maya architecture, and the sacred space of the Incas at Cusco and Macchu Picchu....

Astronomy insights

Archaeoastronomy is not only "speaking about the Sun and the other stars". Interest in the cumbersome, apparent motion of the Moon and in the alternating behaviour of Venus as morning star/evening star is also present in ancient architecture, for instance in the Americas. This section provides the tools needed to investigate in such cases, as well as insights on the physical effects affecting measures in Archaeoastronomy....

Dozent

Über Politecnico di Milano

Politecnico di Milano is a scientific-technological University, which trains engineers, architects and industrial designers.
From 2014 Politecnico di Milano started the release of several MOOCs, developed by the service for digital learning METID (Methods and Innovative Technologies for Learning), giving everybody the chance to enhance personal skills....